The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-03-31

was roughly told to "hold my
Jaw"
Seeing that l should only prejudice
the cause of the unfortunate man bv
my advocacy. l said no more, but re-.
solved to make it as light for him as
could while he was on watch. HS
managed to 60 on duty for the next
two days, being assisted by kind.
hearted shipn,ates, but on tho third.
being overcome by the intense heat,
cropped exhausted upon the deck.
Convinced at last of the genuineness
OF the mans illness, the captain had
HIM carried below, where a close ex-
animation revealed beyond a doubt
that he was dangerously i'll OF the yell
low fever. He soon became delirious
and his rawlings were most horrible
to listen to. He remained in this con-
dition during the rest of the trip.
When We were within "a hours sail
OF Bermuda was summoned to the
captains room, where l found the
rest OF the officers assembled. The
captain then informed lis that, in his
haste, he had neglected to take
out our health papers at Per-
nambuco, and that consequently
we should not be allowed to land at
Bermuda in the usual way. He pro-
posed that We should clay off and on"
near a portion of the island that he
knew to be thinly settled, where We
should probably be able to purchase
our vegetables from the farmers and
take them aboard in the whale boats
before the government authorities
were aware Of our presence. l then
ventured to suggest that we had a man
aboard who was dying ofyellow fever,
and that it would be necessary for hu-
manity's sake to get him into the hos
pital. The captain, with somewhat
sinister look, shortly informed me that
the case would be provided for, and
the conference broke up. On the Goth
day OF May we sighted the light.hous
tower OF Bermuda, and tho wind be-
ing fair and strong were soon
lying within easy distance of the
shore. The captain gavs orders
that the mates boat be got ready for
lowering, and prepared to 20 ashore
to ARRANGE for the purchase OF our
stores. AS was going below at eight
bells, saw the mate walk for ard and
descend into the forecastle. Suspect.
ing that something was up. deter
mined to remained on deck. After a
while saw a couple OF the foremost
hands lift small sea chest on deck
and go below again; in short time
they again appeared, bearing between
them the sick Malay. The poor
watch was indeed a pitiable object as
he was borne aft between the two
men. His thin, hot hands clutched
wildly in the air, and his rolling
eyeballs seemed to appeal for
mercy as they glanced from
one to another of the crew. stepped
up to him, and as tenderly as l could
helped to place him in the mate boat;
his chest Ia light one enough, poor fel.
low, was placed beside him, and in a
few moments the boat was manned,
and, with the captain and the mate in
the stern, set out for the beach.
At about in the afternoon the
boat came alongside again, and the
captain informed me that satisfactory
arrangements had been made with q
dealer in provisions on the island and
that the boats were to be cleared Of
their whaling gear at once in order to
get our supplies under cover OF
darkness. Wind and sea were in
our favor, and by 3 in the morning
the vegetables were safe under
the matches and the boats swinging on
the davits again. In the hurry and
hustle consequent upon the work
in hand had forgotten to
inquire as to the fate of the unhappy
Malay. A little close questioning OF
one OF the mates crew convinced me
that our inhuman captain had con-
| veyed the poor wretch to an unfre-
quented part of the island, and left
him there without food or drink to
die death of untold agony.
All that day we bowled along under
the stiff nor'west breeze, with every
sail set and drawing, and Bermuda
was far astern when 1 came on deck to
stand the early night watch. The
wind was still fair, but somewhat
lighter than during the day. The
glass was falling somewhat, but
not rapidly enough to warrant
us in shortening sail. It
was a very dark night, and the sough
OF the water along the side OF the ship
as she rushed along under the press OF
her bellying canvas. made mournful
accompaniment to the solemn BOOM
ing of the wind through the rigging.
The men were scattered in groups of
two or three about the deck, talking
i'll undertones, and occasionally glapc-
ing at the weather, which had begun
to look trihe threatening. l was
lying upon the carpenters bench think
ing over the events Of the day, when J.
noticed faint flash of lightning fa-
out ahead of the vessel. The wind
astern had been dying gradually, and,
aware OF the squally tendency of
the weather in those ATTITUDES, l
mounted the rigging and stepped into
the larboard boat to take good OBJ
servation of the horizon for ard.
Soon there was a bright flash OF light
ning-then another-and finally the
sky ahead was almost continuous
blaze of light. Apprehensive of an ap-
preaching squall and knowing that to
DE taken aback by one with a full
spread OF canvas on the vessel meant
ucSIfuCClCu, udSCeneu OelOW TO con"
suit the captain. descended in to the
cabin and found him busy over his
log at the dining-room table. He was
seated directly under the pinnacle so
that the light from the swinging lamp
above shone directly down upon him.
spoke to- him Of my appre-
tensions as to the threatened
squat, but he did not seem to
heed me. Raising my voice repeated
what had said, and as he looked up
saw that he had been drinking heavi-
ly. He forbade with an oath my sug-
gestion to shorten sail, adding that he
meant to be ION the whaling grounds
or in hell by the morning"
Seeing that it was useless to argue
with him in his then condition turn
ed to 20, when an impulse that l can